Loom stop device



Jan. 3, 1939. C. H. HEILIG LOOM STOP DEVICE Filed Nov. 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 3, 1939. c. H. HElLlG ,8

LOOM STOP DEVICE .Filed Nov. 22, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .30 and none of them is separable from but actuated is represented at 8, while the weft strand feed- 30 Patented Jan. 3, 1939 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOOM STOP DEVICE Cyrus H. Heilig, York, Pa.

Application November 22, 1937, Serial No. 175,941

6 Claims. (01. 139370) This invention relates to stop devices for looms, In said drawings: by which the operation is interrupted when the Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device in operative wefting shuttle-bobbin has exhausted or nearly position on a loom, showing its mounting and exhausted its supply winding of the feeded strand, connection with the electrical circuit of which 5 and has reference more particularly to the weavit forms a part; 6 ing of screens or wire cloth. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of said device as viewed The primary aim of the same is to provide an from the right side of Fig. 1, representing its improved device of the character stated, which relation to the looms shuttle-bobbin in the full though intended more especially for use on wiresupply or wind-loaded state of the latter; l0 cloth looms will be applicable as well to use on Fig. 3 is a similar View of said device broken 10 cotton or silk cloth and other fabric looms. off in the lower end portion, representing its re- Stop devices of this same general class have lation to said bobbin in the nearly exhausted been produced heretofore in a number of diifersupply load state; and

ent forms, applicable to particular objectives or Fig. 4 is a plan view of a part of the device working requirements. Some of these are operseparated to appear in clearer detail, a portion 15 able mechanically and others are operable elec of the same being revealed in section. trically. All have the same special purpose; that The illustrative device is shown applied to a is, to stop the loom when a strand nears the end screen forming loom of the type described in the of its feed from a bobbin, as distinguished from patent to Mummert, No. 1,643,347, dated Septhose designed to stop the loom when a strand tember 27, 1927, wherein a shuttle is moved lat- 0 passing therethrough breaks. Most of them erally back-and-forth and forwardly at one side have been constructed upon the follower prinin working the weft to place between the warps ciple, wherein a member moving with the deof the fabric being woven. This shuttle is repcrease of strand winding on the bobbin trips resented by the member 5, which carries an ina cam or circuit contact when said winding terchangeable feed bobbin 6 wound with the 25 reaches a certain reduced diameter and thereby strand supplying the weft, and one of the transcauses the loom to be thrown out of action. None fer-thrust bars passing the shuttle back-andof these devices permits the bobbin to exhaust forth between the warps is shown fragmentarily its strand loading down to a minimum remainder at 1. The fabric or screen in process of weaving by the bobbin itself. ing from the bobbin is denoted by the reference One of the principal objects of the present in- 9. One of the lifting gauge-pins around which vention is to provide a device that will be posithe weft is turned together the selvage edge of tive acting and permit the exhaustion of bobbin the weave is shown at ID, along with the springsupply to be gauged or carried down to an absoarm by which it is actuated. 35 lute minimium remainder, or to as low as a twelve Said device is mounted upon the frame H of or less inch balance winding upon the bobbin, the loom in a position opposite and approximatso as to so greatly reduce as virtually to eliminate ing the limit of the shuttle-bobbins line of forwaste of unused or remnant strand lengths left ward movement, indicated by the broken curved on the bobbin. arrow X in Fig. 1. This mounting is effected 40 Another of the principal objects is to provide in this instance by an adjustable bracket l2, such a device which is separate from but is actucomprising (see Figs. 1 and 2) a base portion l2 ated by the shuttle-bobbin itself and functions in, secured as by shown bolting to said frame, a twoor as part of, an electrical circuit so as to cause part extensible upright portion I2 set as by the instantaneous stoppage of the loom in a desired bolts shown, and an upper laterally extended arm 45 movement position as soon as said bobbin has portion l2 providing a horizontal support. Both exhausted its supply to the predetermined or the base portion I2 and the upper arm portion gauged remainder point. I2 are lineally slotted, substantially as shown, Further objects, as well as the general concept so that capability of adjustment is thus afforded and particular advantagesof the invention will in rectangularly opposite horizontal as well as 50 be revealed and understood best from the followvertical directions. ing description with reference to the attached Supported on the upper arm portion of this drawings, illustrating one practicable embodimounting bracket is an oblong duplex plate I3; ment thereof applied in operative relation to a that is, a plate comprising two substantially corloom. responding parts I 3 and l3 superposed one upon 55 the other as a unit (see Fig. 2). This plate is adjustable laterally along said arm of the bracket, to which it is clamped in place by bolts or set-screws l4. Its two parts are also adjustable longitudinally with respect to each other, at right angles to the bracket arm, by the provision of slots I 5 as shown in the upper part (see Fig. 1), through which said clamp bolts extend. A micrometric adjustment between them is afforded by an adjustment screw i6 extended through an upturned rearward flange portion 13' of the lower part against a like portion 3 of the upper part.

On the upper part of the described duplex plate, a plunger l1 moves within a guide in projection from its forward end. Said guide (see Fig. 4) may consist simply of an elongate 1ongitudinally slotted plate I8 fastened to said part and having forward and rearward guide posts formed respectively by an upturned flange [8 and a cross-piece I8 as shown, through which the plunger slides in line with and over its said slotting. The plunger itself in this instance comprises two laminate parts (see Fig. 2), the lower l'l of which forms its shank and the upper l'l of which forms a lateral or upwardly extended arm ll. Of course it may be formed in a single piece or in some other way. Said shank (portion 11*) is encircled by a spring is fitting into the longitudinal slot of the guide plate, between said arm and the rearward guide post, for holding the plunger normally forward under yieldable tension. The lateral arm l1 carries a button 20, forming an electrical contact means or member, adjustable in a parallel relation toward and from the end of the plunger by an adjustment screw 2i, on the end of which it is carried at a spaced distance or different level. This button and its said adjusting screw are insulated from said lateral arm and from the plunger itself by an insulate block 22 and an insulate washer 23 (see Fig. 4) through which the screw extends in contact with a conductor plate 24 clamped to the arm. A connecting post 25 connects through the insulate block with said conductor plate.

The lateral arm ll of the plunger, or the plunger itself, also advantageously carries another arm 26 projecting outward at one side, before which a lever 27 pivoted underneath as at 2'1 to the mounting bracket or a special fixture therefor and movable within a slot 28 provided in the duplex plate is arranged to be swung backward against said another arm 25 (see Fig. 1,) so as to thereby draw and hold the plunger back from its normal full forward projection. A backwardly swung position of said lever and the plunger parts is represented in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and the purpose of this is to permit the plunger to be drawn either entirely out of operative position or only partially out of such posi tion, where it will still operate under delayed action saving wear.

Connected with the aforesaid connecting post 25 is one of the wires 29 of an electrical circuit, the other wire 30 of which is ground connected to the shuttle thrust-bar or to some other suitable part of the loom through which current will be communicated to the shuttle-bobbin 6. These wires connect also with a solenoid 3| and a suitable current source represented by the battery 32, thus connecting the device including said shuttle-bobbin in electrical circuit with the solenoid. Said solenoid has its plunger core 33 connected with a tripping lever 34 on the loom, so

as to actuate the latter when its core is energized, and thereby stop the loom in the desired arrest position of the looms operative movement.

The device is adjusted upon the loom, through its described mounting bracket and duplex plate part, so as to bring the end of the plunger ll into position to be struck retractively by the loaded shuttle-bobbin 6 in the direct line X of its movement forwardly at one side of the weave area (see Fig. l) and at a level substantially midway between the heads or side plates 6 of said bobbin (see Fig. 2). In other words, the plunger is disposed to be struck by the weft strand supply winding 9 on the bobbin, with the top head or side plate of the bobbin at a level to strike the button 20. Said button then is ad justed to a gauged position sufficiently distant from the plunger end to allow the plunger to extend inwardly between the heads toward the barrel or body of the bobbin so as to contact the windings thereon down to the desired limit of remainder; that is, down to the desired depth of winding remaining thereon. This last adjustment, made through the adjusting screws l5 and 2|, may be gauged so extremely fine or micrometrically that the plunger will contact a single layer or a single strand of the winding left on the bobbin and still not contact the barrel or body of the bobbin itself, thereby bringing the limit or minimization of the remainder down to a possible twelve or less inches length. The button is of course held fixed in this gauged or adjusted position, where it is left until there is occasion to readjust it.

Thus the device is adapted, or constructed and arranged, so that each time the shuttle makes its forward movement or stroke, the supply windings on its bobbin 6 strike and retract the plunger l1 carrying with it the button 20. This action may be delayed by setting the plunger partially backward as previously described and as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, which may be desired in some cases, especially after applying a fully loaded bobbin, for the purpose of saving wear. As the windings on the bobbin decrease with continuous feed therefrom, said plunger extends increasingly deeper or further inward toward its barrel and retracts a continually lessening degree or extent. During this procedure the top head or side plate of the bobbin approaches continually closer to the plunger button but does not contact it. Finally, when the windings on the bobbin reach the point of decrease or remainder allowance for which the device has been set, and at which the plunger end contact with said windings no longer prevents, the head or side plate of the bobbin at last strikes or contacts the button 20 and thereby immediately closes the electrical circuit through the same. Thus said button constitutes one closure contact and said shuttle-bobbin, or a part of the same, constitutes the other or opposite contact of the electric circuit. This closing of the circuit by contact of the two members causes the solenoid 3| to be energized and the loom is brought forthwith to a stop in the desired position for which its arrest mechanism has been adjusted.

The advantages of this positive acting stop device will be readily appreciated by those familiar with the weaving art and practice. ts particular value of course resides in the utility of stopping a loom before the shuttle-bobbin, or any bobbin, supply is exhausted. It serves as a mechanical watchman in this respect. Stopping the loom before the bobbin supply has been wholly exhausted, it serves so that an attendant needs only to remove the exhausted or nearly exhausted bobbin and replace it with a new fully loaded one. The likelihood of a strand terminating in the middle of a weave to necessitate a splicing, or any tight or loose (wide) places occurring in the weave from overrun of the machine, is thus substantially eliminated. Moreover, the necessity of picking out a short, loose or tight weave strand and setting it up by hand with resultant irregularities is also substantially eliminated. In other words, the device contributes very substantially to the production of a superior weave of the fabric by eliminating all possible irregularities as the bobbin reaches the end of its supply. A single attendant can keep as many as twelve or more loom machines operating simultaneously when they are equipped with this device. He needs only to move from one machine to another as its operation is interrupted by the device. A continual production on the entire group of machines can thus be maintained and there is no chance of any machine overrunning its bobbin supply. This has been demonstrated in actual practice and the device has proved to be a very material saver of both time and material.

It will be understood that the device may be made and used in different forms to suit different requirements or working conditions, without de parting from the spirit and scope or actual concept of the invention. For instance, a different kind or form of mounting bracket might be used, and the plunger might be arranged to operate in a vertical or some other position rather than in the horizontal position shown. Also the device might be mounted to move against the bobbin, rather than to have the bobbin move against it as in the present illustration. Various changes in the form and arrangement of the parts, with difierent combinations and sub-combinations of its elements may be employed within the general terms and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is not intended that the invention shall be limited by the appended claims to the specific construction illustrated and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A stop device for a loom, comprising, in combination with the operating shuttle of the loom including a bobbin in supply of the weft having the weft applied in windings thereon, a retractible plunger projectingly mounted upon a stationary part of the loom at a point and in a position to be struck endwise by the windings on said bobbin in the operative stroke of the shuttle, means embodying a cooperating pair of slidably related plates associated with the mounting of said plunger for micrometrically adjusting its projection therefrom in the endwise direction of its retr ctive movement, an electrical contact member carried by said plunger in fixed relation thereto an adjustably gauged distance from its end so as to be struck by a part of said bobbin when the windings thereon have been exhausted down to a predetermined reduction point, and an electric circuit including the striking part of said bobbin as one closing cont-act thereof and said contact member on the plunger as the opposite closing contact thereof, the said circuit being closed by the bobbins strike against said member and having means therein actuated upon said closure to bring the loom to a stop.

A stop device for a loom, comprising, in combination with the operating shuttle of the loom, an electrically conductive bobbin carried by the shuttle upon which a supply of the weft is expendably applied in load windings thereon, a retractible plunger projectingly mounted upon a stationary part of the loom at a point and in a position to be struck by the windings on said bobbin at the end of each operative stroke of the shuttle, means embodying a pair of plates fitting slidably one upon the other forming part of the mounting of said plunger for micrometrically adjusting its degree of projection therefrom in opposite directions along its line of retractive movement, an electrical contact member carried by said plunger in fixed relation thereto an adjustably gauged distance from its end so as to be struck by a part of said bobbin when the windings thereon have been expanded ofi to a predetermined remainder limit, and an electric g circuit including said bobbin as one closing contact thereof and said contact member on the plunger as the opposing other closing contact thereof, said circuit which is normally open being closed by the strike of the bobbin against said contact member and having means therein actuated upon its closure to bring the loom to a stop.

3. A stop device for a loom, comprising, in combination with the operating shuttle of the loom having a bobbin in supply of the weft expending therefrom by the unreel of windings upon the same, a retractible plunger mounted projectingly upon a stationary part of the loom at a point and in a position to be struck endwise regularly by the windings on said bobbin once in every operative stroke of the shuttle, means associated with the mounting of said plunger for micrometrically adjusting its projection therefrom in the opposite directions of its line of retractive movement, said means including a pair of slidably superposed plates on one of which the plunger is carried and the other of which has a screw action against the former in their slide direction parallel with the plunger axis, an electrical contact member carried by said plunger in fixed relation thereto a gauged distance from its end so as to be struck by the side plate part of said bobbin when and only when the windings thereon have been exhausted down to a predetermined reduction point, the said contact member being insulated from and adjustably gaugeable upon the plunger, and an electric circuit including the bobbin as one closing contact thereof and the contact member on said plunger as the opposing other closing contact thereof, said circuit being normally open but ultimately closed by the bobbins side plate strike against said contact member and having means therein actuating trip mechanism to stop the loom when the same is so closed.

4. A stop device for a loom, comprising, in combination with the operating shuttle of the loom including an electrically conductive bobbin in supply of the Weft expending therefrom by unreel of windings upon the same, a retractible plunger projectingly mounted upon a stationary part of the loom at a point and in a position to be retractively struck normally by the windings on said bobbin at a selected point in the regular operative stroke of the shuttle, means forming a part of the mounting of said plunger for micrometrically adjusting its degree of projection therefrom in opposite directions along its line of retractive movement, said means comprising a Ill pair of slidably superposed plates on one of which the plunger operates and the other of which carries a screw working longitudinally against the former and both being slotted longitudinally in parallel with the plunger co-registerably with common clamp screws extending through said slottings clamping them in adjustment together, an electrical contact member carried by said plunger in fixed relation thereto at a gauged distance from its end and being adjustably gaugeable with respect to the same so as to be struck alternatively by the side plate or head of the bobbin when the windings thereon have been exhausted down to a predetermined remainder lengthand themselves no longer strike the plunger itself, and an electric circuit including said bobbin as one closing contact thereof and said contact member on the plunger as the opposing other closing contact thereof, said circuit being closed by the strike of the bobbin against said contact member and having means therein actuated to bring the loom to a stop when the same is so closed.

5. A stop device for a loom according to claim 4, wherein the contact member carried by the retractible plunger is insulated from said plunger which is itself a conductor and is micrometrically adjustable to the fixed position a gauged distance from the plunger end according to the radial dimension of the side plate or head of the bobbin with reference to the latters barrel.

6. A stop device for a loom, comprising, in combination with the frame and operating shuttle of the loom, the latter including an electrically conductive bobbin in supply of the weft expending therefrom back and forth across the work by unreel of windings upon the barrel of the same, a support mounted on a stationary part of the frame, a spring-pressed retractlble plunger projectingly mounted upon said support at a point and in a position in the path of the shuttle-carried bobbin so as to be retractively struck by the windings on said bobbin once in every operative stroke of the shuttle, means associated with the mounting of said plunger on the support for micrometrically adjusting its projection therefrom in opposite directions in its line of retractive movement, said means comprising a pair of slidably superposed plates arranged parallel with the plunger axis on one of which the plunger is carried and the other of which has a screw action against the former in the direction of their slide movement and both being movable longitudinally in parallel with the plunger, an electrical contact member carried by said plunger in fixed relation thereto at a gauged distance from its end so as to be alternatively struck by the side plate or head part of the bobbin when the windings thereon have been expended off to a predetermined remainder limit and themselves no longer strike the plunger itself, said contact member being insulated from and adjustably gaugeable to the fixed distance upon said plunger according to the depth or diametrical dimension of the bobbin head to its barrel, and an electric circuit including said bobbin as one closing contact thereof and said contact member on the plunger as the opposing other closing contact thereof along with means actuated upon its closure to cause stoppage of the loom, said circuit being normally open but being closed by the bobbins strike against said contact member thereby actuating the stoppage means.

CYRUS H. HEILIG. 

